XIII. Évfolyam 2. szám – 2018.

június

A SURVEY ON DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN MILITARY

WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS

KATONAI VEZETÉK NÉLKÜLI SZENZORHÁLÓZATOK ADATKEZELÉSI

MEGOLDÁSAI

BOGNÁR Eszter Katalin

(ORCID: 0000-0002-3697-7871)
bognarek@uni-nke.hu

Abstract Absztrakt

Wireless sensor networks have huge potential A vezeték nélküli szenzorhálózatok

in many areas of life. The emergence of the
Internet of Things has made research into
these networks of great importance. They also
have proven applications in military and
defense, with sensors being placed on
soldiers’ bodies and in battlefield monitoring
systems.
The ultimate goal of sensor networks is the
collection and storage of data, and to make that
data available on demand. For this reason, it is
critical to understand the various processes
through which these functions are achieved.
This article aims to elucidate and analyze
current research into wireless sensor network
data management techniques.
„Supported by the ÚNKP-17-3-I-NKE-20 New
National Excellence Program of the Ministry of
Human Capacities”
Keywords: military sensor networks, Internet
of Things, data management, data storage
alkalmazása hatalmas potenciált jelent az élet
számos területén, a dolgok internetének
(Internet of Things) világában élve a témában
folyó kutatások nagy jelentőséggel bírnak. A
szenzorhálózatok a honvédelem számos
területén is sikeresen alkalmazhatóak,
különösen a harctéri érzékelő rendszerek,
katonák testén elhelyezett szenzorok
esetében. A szenzorhálózatok végső célja az
érzékelt adatok összegyűjtése, tárolása, majd
igény szerinti lekérdezése, ezért
nélkülözhetetlen azon eljárások megismerése,
melyek révén ezek a funkciók a lehető
leghatékonyabban valósíthatók meg. A cikk
célja feltárni a témában folyó kutatások
aktuális eredményeit, elemezni,
összehasonlítani az egyes megoldásokat.
Kulcsszavak: katonai szenzorhálózatok,
dolgok internete, adatkezelés, adattárolás

A kézirat benyújtásának dátuma (Date of the submission): 2018.03.05.

A kézirat elfogadásának dátuma (Date of the acceptance): 2018.06.06.

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INTRODUCTION
The term wireless sensor network refers to hundreds or even thousands of linked sensors that
can record changes in their physical environment. Acting in a coordinated fashion, these sensor
networks are able to continuously monitor the conditions of a particular area or physical object.
Recent technological developments make it possible to manufacture especially small and
inexpensive sensors that can be installed virtually anywhere. Due to their low cost and practical
versatility, these sensors have already become widespread in the civil sphere, with applications
in healthcare, manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and so-called smart environments.
They also have proven applications in military and defense, with sensors being placed on
soldiers’ bodies and in battlefield monitoring systems. The true potential of sensor networks in
all areas of life is only beginning to be explored. The further development of the Internet of
Things relies on research into sensor network technology.
However, there are major restrictions facing the optimal operation of sensor networks. These
restrictions stem from limitations in sensor memory, storage, computing capacity, and useful
life, as well as limitations on bandwidth. Therefore, efforts are being made to optimize the flow
of data traffic, routing between large numbers of nodes, and the storage and retrieval of data.
Any attempts at optimization must be carefully tailored according to scarcity of available
resources. The conventional data management solutions used in conventional computer
networks are somewhat inefficient, and because of this it is necessary to develop novel methods
and procedures. Several studies relevant to sensor network optimization have been published
domestically. The work of Nagy T. I. [1][2] focuses on routing strategies utilized in the network
layer of sensor networks. Haig Zs. [3][4] and Kovács L.’s [5] research explores potential
opportunities for use of sensor networks in electronic warfare. The ultimate goal of sensor
networks is the collection and storage of data, and to make that data available on demand.
Therefore, it is critical to understand the various processes through which these functions are
achieved.
Currently, researchers are furthering data management techniques that are better optimized
for large amounts of data resulting from sensor networks. Because the quantities of raw data
are so large, useful data must be specified and sorted according to their intended application.
To accomplish this aim, various data storage and query mechanisms are created. When
developing these new mechanisms, the limited storage capacity of the nodes must be taken into
consideration. Furthermore, there may be network communications and package delivery fees
associated with these mechanisms, which become financially significant. The purpose of this
article to suggest solutions for current data storage and query management issues by comparing
the advantages and disadvantages of different methods.

DATA MANAGEMENT IN SENSOR NETWORKS

One of the main challenges in planning and utilizing sensor networks is the efficient storage
and querying of sensor data, known generally as data management. Management of sensor
network data must suit the specific needs of each application. There are three main questions
regarding data management:
1. What are the main characteristics and limits of sensor networks?
2. Where can data from sensor networks be stored?
3. How can data storage systems respond to the needs of users, and how are the results
of data storage communicated to users?

Since sensors have numerous limits in terms of storage capacity, communication capability,
and useful life, the development of novel procedures become necessary. One such procedure

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leading to further optimization is the distributed processing and storage of data within the
network. By taking into consideration a number of specific parameters, we can optimize the
operation of the system and select the most effective method for data management. The
expected useful life of the system (including short and long-term installation), the nodes’ power,
computing and storage capacity, and the data requirements of the particular application are all
significant elements which must be considered. Furthermore, the nature of the user’s queries
(single, continuous, event-driven, etc.), the quantity of generated data during the operation, the
network size, and potential preprocessing parallelization opportunities are also all relevant.
Current research points towards the use of distributed data processing. There is a spatial and
temporal correlation between data collected by the sensors, which has substantial potential to
overcome many current limitations. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the characteristics
of sensor networks and the limitations of data management.

The characteristics and limitations of wireless sensor networks

The optimal operation of sensor networks is limited by a number of factors. Most factors can
be attributed to the characteristics of sensor network elements and the communication channel.
Based on the work of Fan W. et al. [7] and Rawat P. et al. [8] in the case of sensor networks,
the following limitations should be considered:
̶ Limited memory, storage, power supply, and computing capacity: For energy-
intensive operations (e.g. maintaining routing tables, handling datasets,
implementing data security algorithms) the use of cost-effective protocols are
necessary in order to reduce the energy consumption of nodes, thus maximizing the
useful life of the network.
̶ Dynamic network topology, self-organization, peer-to-peer networks: Sensor
networks must support frequent changes in network structure and in quality of data
links.
̶ Unreliable wireless communication: To achieve proper operation of sensor
networks, the necessary data must be transmitted to the base station. In sensor
networks frequent unexpected errors might occur e.g. problems with the connection,
wrecked or discharged nodes. To overcome this, the network must be fault tolerant.
This can easily be improved through redundancy.
̶ A large number of often heterogeneous nodes: As there can be up to many
thousands of nodes in the monitored area, faults in system architecture and network
protocols must be corrected. The network should be self-organizing and self-healing.
Because giving unique addresses to thousands of nodes would be extremely
expensive, data-centric approaches that focus on groups of nodes become significant.

Wireless sensor network data management features

Focusing on data management according to Zhao F. and Guibas J. L. [6] the following features
and challenges arise:
̶ sensor networks dynamically change, hubs may go dead, and the connection between
two nodes might be terminated. However, the data management system must hide it
from the end-user; it must give the impression of being a robust and stable system;
̶ besides traditional static data tables continuously generated real-time data streams
must be also handled;
̶ since data transfer is one of the most expensive operations, adequate solutions must
be applied to minimize unnecessary communication between nodes of the network.
Such solutions include data preprocessing and in-network data aggregation;

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̶ during data transmission, longer delays may occur. It is not enough to optimize a
query once, but it must be continuously monitored and revised in order to operate at
the most efficient speed and resource utilization;
̶ since storage capacity of nodes is limited, the possibility of storing historical data
must be considered.

THE STORAGE OF SENSOR DATA

The limitations of sensor networks have to be already considered at the physical level of data
storage. To find the most efficient storage solution for sensor data, storage capacity and cost of
data transmission must be taken into account. The purpose of this chapter is to present the most
important storage strategies that are currently used in sensor networks.

External, centralized storage

Centralized data storage is the easiest way to store sensor data. This method is the well-known
storage technology of traditional computer networks. Wireless sensor networks are constructed
of data-collection facilities, passages linking internal and external components, and externally-
located base stations.
The essence of centralized data storage is that all the collected data from sensor network
components is immediately transmitted to the external base station. Subsequent storage and
processing occurs at the base station, which is connected to the external network. This method
has far greater storage capacity as well as computer processing power for processing data.
The advantage of the method is that data is stored in a centralized fashion, making data query
simple and convenient. Communication costs apply only to the transmission of data. Therefore,
there is no need for additional interaction with the sensor system in order to answer queries
from users. The base station has a double function. On the one hand, it provides data storage
functions: receive, store, and process data collected by the sensors. On the other hand, the base
station also processes and answers queries from users through the sensor network nodes.
There is one disadvantage to this system. Since the base station carries significant external
communication with both users and sensor nodes, a bottleneck may occur due to overloading
and thus lead to delays. Additionally, because nodes located nearer to the base station have to
execute a greater degree of communication, there is a possibility that those batteries will be
more quickly discharged, reducing the useful life of the entire system. Data security must also
be taken into account; the base station may be flooded by unwanted data requests or face attacks
that threaten the integrity of the data. [20]
This solution is most optimal for sensor network of small size (approx. 100 sensors) and for
situations in which the data collection is not constant, as the system only detects and transmits
data in response to an event. [7][9][11]
In the case of military applications centralized storage can be used in force protection/base
protection by instrumenting the perimeter of the base with networked wireless sensors. Since
the monitored area is demarcated and relatively small, there isn’t much multihop data transfer
between the sensor nodes and the gateway. Usually each node is within the range of the gateway
or just few hops away, so it’s easier to transfer each data to the central storage point where it
will be stored and processed. A possible set up can be seen on Figure 1 .

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Figure 1 WSN in base protection [21]

Distributed Data Store

Centralized storage of data presented in the previous section can be used effectively only for
small-scale sensor networks. [11] With networks consisting of thousands of nodes, centralized
storage approaches are not practical. Because a large amount of data and communications for
the base station are generated, neighboring nodes can become overloaded. Overloading leads
to system delays and in the long-term a reduction in the system’s useful life. For very large
amounts of data, decentralized sensor-data approaches are used instead, being one of the most
energy efficient and energy saving forms of data storage. The sensor data model considers the
whole network as a distributed database where each sensor node is a basic unit of storage.
Decentralization helps in saving energy; however, in contrast to other approaches, only local
information is available at each node. The system’s complex algorithms are designed for
decentralization, thereby placing a limit on their performance. Overall, decentralized design
leads to greater energy efficiency, but the complexity of the data management system increases
significantly. [11] Regarding security, there is some danger in individual nodes becoming
compromised. [20]
In military applications decentralized data storage are beneficial in the case of battlefield
surveillance where thousands of small and cheap sensors are deployed on the battlefield to
provide wide range of surveillance and to support the soldier with real time situational
awareness and joint operability among forces. Typically, sensor nodes are deployed randomly
(e.g., via aerial deployment), and are expected to self-organize to form a multi-hop network.
Because of the large territorial coverage and the high density of sensors the communication
between the nodes increasing significantly. To keep in mind that saving energy thus improving
the lifetime of the sensor nodes is crucial, it is more beneficial to choose the distributed data
storage strategy. In that case the costly data transfer to the gateway can be avoided and the
sensor nodes may also perform data aggregation/compression/fusion to reduce the
communication overhead in the network.
The following presents two major theories about distributed data storage.
Local Storage
The simplest distributed storage solution is to store all generated data its place of origin; that is,
in the memory of the sensors. The primary advantage of this system is that since the data is
stored locally, there is no communication cost associated with delivering data to storage. Of
course, this storage strategy is not perfect. The primary disadvantage is the cost of query
processing. Since no global distribution center is available, each node must take an active part
in the polling process. Nodes need to parse and process queries and as well as be involved in
the transmission of query results. That represents significant energy consumption at each node.

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As an actively researched area, a number of solutions have been proposed which can optimize
the transmission routes between the nodes and reduce communication costs in the network.
During the processing of queries, a significant role is considered for the optimum operation of
the network layer and efficient routing algorithms. One such algorithm is known as directed
diffusion. To summarize, the initial request for data from the base station goes to all nodes,
flooding the network. Afterwards, the nodes generate gradients in order to identify where the
request is coming from and which neighboring nodes have the same data. When this type of
request is repeated, the network has already formed the most optimal path for processing it. If
queries are periodic, efficiency can be greatly increased. However, in the case of a new query,
it is necessary to start over and flood the network again. [7]
Data-centric storage
Between centralized and local storage, there is a middle course specifying that data must be
stored within network on predefined nodes according to the type of measurement and the place
of its origin. The central premise of the theory is to store the same data type on the same network
location. After that, any query that relates to a particular type of data is directly addressable to
that data’s storage, thereby avoiding queries associated with high communication costs. The
request can therefore be processed more efficiently, decreasing the energy and latency of
processing. Data storage in this system consists of two steps: If a sensor detects an event, it will
label it using a hash function; following this, the data will be directed to a node according to
the label. This process, GHT (geographic hash table), is a hash function that provides solutions
for mapping between the name and storage location of the event. Data centric-storage creates a
distributed storage structure, where events are named and grouped spatially. Names can be
regarded as hash function arbitrary keys and categorize basic units. This method is also
advantageous since the same data is stored in the same location. Through this, efficient
aggregation can be achieved. Of course, there is a critical question regarding this storage
strategy: How do we select the containing nodes? Additionally, for this strategy to function
effectively, the nodes must have increased storage capacity and resources. [13]
In order to make queries more effective, a hierarchy between storage nodes is formed.
The stores nearer to the base station have greater spatial and temporal coverage but are more
cumulative and contain compressed data. In contrast, storage in the lower levels is local and
contains more detailed data. Queries start from the base station and then reach the accumulated
data, only proceeding to lower levels of the hierarchy if greater accuracy is required. [10]
Because of the finite capacity of the storage nodes, algorithms are needed that can manage data
with the ability to delete or compress older values. Figure 2 describes the three storage
strategies:

Figure 2 Sensor networks for storing data strategies. [12]

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Sensor networks and cloud technology integration: sensor-cloud

Most applications use real-time data when possible. This enormous amount of data must be
processed in some general way. As sensor networks have limited capacity, cloud technologies
offer a significant opportunity to meet storage and computing capacity needs. Cloud-based
Internet technology is the emerging new paradigm of software systems. Sensor networks and
cloud technology become integrated as sensor cloud technology. The sensor cloud allows users
to easily collect, store, analyze, visualize and share data using various web applications. The
web applications utilize computing and storage capacity in the cloud. [8]
In military case the usage of sensor cloud is beneficial when there is a need for a scalable
processing and storage infrastructure that can be used to perform the analysis of online as well
as offline data streams provided by the sensors. Beside the analytics capabilities, the possibility
of easier sharing of information among other defense agencies and coalition partner can
significantly improve situation awareness. Figure 3 illustrates a sensor-cloud structure.

Figure 3 Sensor architecture cloud (edited by the author based on [17])

PROCESSING AND QUERYING OF SENSOR DATA

Besides storage strategies, another important data management topic is the way the collected
data is transmitted to the end-user. How can users access the collected data of sensor networks?
There is a need for solutions that both manage information collected by sensors and answer the
queries of users or applications. Sensor networks can be viewed as complex data collection
systems whose goal is to convert measured data as quickly as possible by automatically
forwarding or replying to a query, according to the format provided to the end-user. The main
purpose of data handling in sensor networks is to separate the logical view (name, access,
operations) from physical data. It is not necessary for the user to pay attention to the operational
details of the sensor network. The only significant element for the user should be the logical
structure of queries. Considerable attention should be given to the question of query processing.
For this purpose, the effectiveness of protocols depend on how promptly information is sent to
the user. Several studies deal with the issue of managing large amounts of data collected from
sensor networks. The primary goal is to give the users access to data gathered by the sensor

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network while using the least amount of resources possible, thereby increasing the useful life
of the network. This chapter will introduce different query interfaces which allow for access to
sensor network data, and techniques that optimize their efficiency.

Common types of queries

In order to optimize power consumption, we need to know the physical data: where, when, how
often and what type of queries are needed. The most common query types are as follows: [9]
̶ Queries on historical data: queries relating to aggregated historical information
stored in the database system. (” e.g. average temperature over the last month at the
observed area”)
̶ "Snapshot" queries: Queries relating to data collected on a given present or future
date. (” Current body temperature of a soldier at the given time")
̶ Long time continuously running queries: Queries that collect information during
a specified time interval. (”heart rate of a soldier measured at five minutes intervals
during military training”)
̶ Event related queries: Queries that are triggered by an event. (”If the motion sensor
detects some movement at the border, check the pictures of the optical and infrared
camera.”)
̶ Queries on multi-dimensional ranges: Queries that involve multiple data attributes
and define the desired search range. (”list the position of the sensors at the observed
area in which the level of electromagnetic emission and the recorded seismic activity
reach a pre-defined threshold.”)

Query processing strategies

Depending on the location of the data storage, retrieval and data processing take place in
different ways. The following section describes various strategies for accessing data in sensor
networks.
Centralized query processing
The easiest and most commonly used solution is to store data in the base station, as was
described previously with centralized data storage strategy. Sensors on the monitored area
detect status changes in the physical environment and periodically transmit the measured values
to the base station. In this case, the collection and processing of queries are separated. Query
processing is done on the central server using conventional database management applications
and algorithms.
Although this solution does not require methods special to sensor networks, the previously
described disadvantages must be considered: significant delays might occur due to the increased
load on the base station and on the surrounding nodes. Furthermore, due to continuous
transmission of data, energy consumption is increased, and the useful life of the system is
decreased.
Distributed Query Processing: Sensor Database
The sensors manufactured today are no longer just simple measuring devices, but also
intelligent devices; although limited in scope, they have their own data storage and computing
capabilities. To exploit this capability, new software solutions are needed that allow for pre-
processing of queries using sensor resources.
There needs to be a query processing layer between the application and network layers whose
function is to provide a user interface and to manage resources, especially with regards to power
consumption. [9] In this case, the sensor network can be considered a distributed database
where the nodes are data sources. In the most extreme cases, each node is running a database

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system for query processing. Tsiftes N. and Dunkels described such a solution called Antelope
[19]. However, the more common option is for query interpretation, optimization, and transfer
to the data sources to remain on the client-side: users send SQL queries to the server, which
describe what kind of data the user interested in. Furthermore, users can specify how they want
data to be combined, transformed, summarized, and ultimately how they would like to receive
the query results. Using optimized routing strategies, the request is then transmitted to the
sensors. At the sensor level, some data preprocessing may happen: filtering undesirable values
and aggregating measurements. After this preprocessing, only the relevant information will be
transmitted to the base station, significantly reducing communication cost. The most widely
used implementation of the sensor database was developed on the TinyOS operating system
and is called TinyDB (Berkeley University). In the next chapter, the main features of sensor
database systems will be introduced according to the functions of TinyDB. [9][10][14]
TinyDB sensor database architecture and data model
In terms of architecture, it is necessary to separate operations on the server side from that of the
sensors during query processing. In close collaboration, the two sides work together to ensure
the efficient execution of queries. With the help of base station applications, we can formulate
queries and understand SQL code interpretation. The goal is to optimize transmission of data
towards the sensors using the most efficient routing protocol. For the sensors, there is a query
processing subsystem running for each device on the TinyOS operating system. It receives
queries on the nodes, optimizes their runtime, and maintains a catalog consisting of different
metadata. The system offers the opportunity for data aggregation, energy efficient transmission,
and cooperation between the different layers, which will be introduced in the following section
based on the works of Madden, S. et al. [14][15] The structure of this system is shown in Figure
4.

Figure 4 Sensors table (by the author)

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The database-oriented approach has two basic objectives: making wording similar to that of
conventional database systems thereby allowing simple SQL query commands, and to minimize
the energy consumption of the network during the data collection process. [8]
In order to make simple SQL queries, it is useful to imagine a logic level virtual relational table
above the physical distributed system in which the columns contain attributes (time stamp, node
ID, values etc.) and the rows represent individual measurements.

Sensors table

Timestamp Node ID Temperature (°C) Location …

2017-05-05 13:55 1 24 47.251894;21.544690 …

2017-05-05 13:55 2 26 47.250446;21.543759 …

2017-05-05 13:55 3 30 47.249903;21.539952 …

2017-05-05 13:56 1 25 47.251894; 21.544690 …

… … … … …

Table 1. Sensors table (by the author)

As mentioned previously, in addition to the traditional query types, sensor networks must
also handle queries on data streams. The already known SELECT column1, column2, sensors
FROM table [WHERE condition] [GROUP BY column1 [column2]] [HAVING group
condition] command is therefore extended to the [PERIOD SAMPLE FOR duration] or
[LIFETIME period] clause, which specifies the data collection frequency and duration,
allowing for continuous queries of data streams. Also, the [STOP ON EVENT (parameter) and
WHERE (parameter)] clauses can be used to allow for event-based suspension of queries, and
the [OUTPUT ACTION (event)] clause can be used to specify an event that is executed if the
statement conditions are true. Of course, various aggregation functions are also supported:
(AVG, MIN, MAX, COUNT, SUM).

OPPORTUNITIES OF QUERY OPTIMIZATION

In sensor networks most of the energy consumption results from communication.
The primary task of the query optimizer system is to decrease energy consumption. The most
effective way to achieve this is to reduce the amount of data transmitted between the base station
and the sensors. It aims at finding routes which are able to send the data to the right place. While
temporary storage (cache) can be used as a basic solution, more complex options are
available. The following presents the most significant optimization opportunities in terms of
executing queries.

Data aggregation within the network

The primary task of data aggregation is to reduce the amount of transmitted data moving across
the network, thus reducing energy consumption. Through aggregation, expensive
communications are replaced by cheaper computing operations. Nodes can be grouped in
predefined ways, extending the useful life of sensor networks. Aggregation works either by
summarizing the values generated during a specified period of time, or by summarizing the data
from particular nodes. Query optimization can be achieved through proper selection of different
aggregating operator sequences. These sequences exploit all the available possibilities of
distributed processing. Aggregation functions must be broken down to simpler functions, partial
aggregation operations must be executed in parallel on the nodes that in turn contribute to the

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calculation of the overall aggregation. Some nodes summarize the values obtained from nodes
in lower levels, so that the base station only receives aggregated values.

Cooperation between layers

One extensively researched method of optimizing queries is by exploiting cooperation between
different layers and coordinating their operation. For instance, knowledge about the current
physical status of the data helps facilitate efficient channel assignment between layers. In the
case of processing queries, network data layer operation as well as coordination of queries may
be considered. Such solutions can be found in the TinyDB system. In this system, answering
and sending query results to the base station is made along a predefined path. The devices have
information about their closest neighbor and about the network structure. In order to facilitate
intelligent routing decisions, each node is aware of its relationship with nearby nodes. Knowing
the needs of the data, aggregation of queries can be enabled according to optimal routing
solutions. On a deeper level, knowing the routing strategy makes it possible to assign the
channels according to communication needs. Through this it is possible to switch the nodes to
standby or off-line mode, thereby reducing their energy usage. Figure 5 illustrates a distributed
implementation in a simple counting operation. Nodes with various distances from the gateway
(hop count) transmit in specified time slots according to the channel. On the lowest level of the
routing tree, the farthest nodes, in this case, H, J and I transmit first. At the next level up, the
nodes G and F perform partial aggregation and transmit those aggregate values in the
subsequent time slot. Nodes E and D at the following level in the communication topology
aggregate those values again and transmit to nodes B and C. At nodes B and C, further partial
aggregation occurs, with the final result then forwarded to the gateway.

Figure 5 TinyDB aggregation within the network cooperation between layers [15]

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Data collection with mobile robots

The above data management optimization solutions can be used effectively to a certain degree,
but only if the installation area of the system remains small. With present technology used in
data collection and transmission, there is still too much inefficient movement of data across the
system. The longer the data route, the higher the communication costs, energy consumption,
unreliability of data transmission and the probability of data loss. In addition, maintaining large
routing tables is costly in itself. However, mobile robots offer a possible solution to the above
problems. [8][18] Imagine some system where mobile robots acting as data mules collect data
generated by the sensors. The big advantage is that robots have the ability to get close to the
collection sites and can upload data with relatively low communication costs. They can save
the data transmission system from multi-hop route difficulties. Short-range communication
means less chance for data loss. Once each node collects the data, they send it to an online
database. With this approach, the nodes can save considerable amount of energy that would
otherwise be used to transmit data, thus prolonging the useful life of the network. Last but not
least, it is easier to charge the batteries of robots than replace those the of nodes. However, for
such an installation to be successful, new problems need to be tackled, such as the design of the
robot path according to the needs of data collection. Figure 6 illustrates the structure of a
system including mobile robots. [8]

Figure 6 The use of mobile robots in the collection [8]

NOSQL based query processing systems

As mentioned above, enabling SQL based query-processing in sensor databases represents an
especially effective solution. Research in this area continues to advance: (e.g. Jan Sipka, Van
Der Veen et al. [16]). It’s predicted that NoSQL based query processing systems will be added
to traditional relational databases. They are better adapted to dynamic environments, are based
on a simple data model, and yield faster query processing. They allow the use of NoSQL

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database technologies (e.g. MongoDB1, Apache Cassandra2, HBase3 etc.). Considering the data
needs of sensor networks, it is more optimal to use NoSQL databases in several respects.
Collection is done by modifying data needs, as opposed to more complex queries that are part
of relational database management. Therefore, NoSQL databases also most ideal regarding
speed of query processing, in particular for continuously generated data streams in large
amounts.

SUMMARY
In selecting a suitable data management strategy, the issues of storage and query processing go
hand in hand. Deep knowledge of the different storage models and related query processing
solutions is needed. Addressing data management strategy is essential for further developments
in the field. Table 2. summarizes the strategies and relative merits of the various data storage
systems.

Centralized data Distributed data storage Storage in cloud

storage

Communication
between nodes and High Low High
the base station

Communication
between nodes Low High Low
processing queries

Scalability Slightly scalable Scalable to some extent High scalability

Optimal size of the

Small Medium Large
network

Optimal quantity of
Small Medium Large
data being treated

Homogeneous and
Optimal data type Mostly homogeneous Mostly homogeneous
heterogeneous

Compromising gateway,
Compromising gateway, Less
Security Challenges Compromising gateway Node vulnerability, Data
control over data
manipulation

Sensor distributed
Relational and databases, SQL-based Distributed databases in the
Query Management
traditional databases query processing (e.g. cloud
TinyDB)

Continuously running
Event-driven, Ad hoc queries for extended Past data for queries;
Optimal query types "Snapshot," Continuously
queries on past data times, Multidimensional
queries for domain running, Event-driven and/or

1
https://www.mongodb.com/
2
http://cassandra.apache.org/
3
https://hbase.apache.org/

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BOGNÁR: A survey on data management techniques in military wireless sensor networks

Multidimensional queries for

domain

Processing resource
Server Server and nodes Theoretically unlimited
constraints

Unlimited computational and

Processing and Limited by capacity of Limited by capacity of
analytical capacity, Advanced
analysis of data local server local server and nodes
Big Data technologies

Users of the given Users of the given

Users More sensor database users
application application

battlefield surveillance with

battlefield surveillance
Potential military force protection/base enhanced data analytics and
using unattended ground
application protection information sharing
sensors
capabilities

Table 2. Comparison of sensor networks and storage strategies (by the author)

CONCLUSIONS
Due to the low cost and practical versatility sensors have already become widespread in the
civil sphere and they also have proven applications in military and defense. The major sensor
network data management solutions demonstrate that the range of possibilities is quite broad.
Presently, traditional centralized storage is standard; however, as sensor network data becomes
more complex and sensor size shrinks, new solutions are required. Ongoing research in this
field points towards distributed data management within the network. A major goal of this
research is to optimize the energy consumption of nodes. This is best achieved by using efficient
routing strategies that enable communication between nodes and greater collaboration between
protocol layers. As the role of Big Data and the Internet of Things grows, local resources will
become obsolete and eventually replaced by more solutions with a greater degree of specificity
and customization. Improvements in hosting and cloud technologies will render these new
network solutions nearly unlimited in their scope. Advanced data analysis solutions can provide
computing capacity on demand. In the process of selecting a particular technology, it is
important to consider the needs of the application or user. It is relevant to consider the type of
data being stored, retrieved, analyzed and selected. Furthermore, it is essential to choose the
most appropriate and efficient storage and query-processing procedures.

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